News about a major company experiencing a data breach impacting millions of consumers is not a new phenomenon in today’s hyper-connected world. Data breaches have rippled through powerhouses like Marriott and Reddit in the last 12 months, and the Equifax incident continues to make headlines. The most recent breach from Capital One first hit the media circuit in late July, and it has already had a far-reaching impact on the company’s bottom line. Here’s what you need to know about the Capital One data breach of 2019.
What Took Place?
Spokespersons from Capital One shared that data of more than 100 million US citizens and 6 million Canadian residents had been compromised by a hacker. Although the individual responsible for the incident has since been identified as Paige Thompson of Seattle, and placed in custody, Capital One shared that a vulnerability in its cybersecurity system allowed the hacker to gain access to information dating back to 2005. The credit card issuer shared that the customers impacted include those who submitted credit card applications between 2005 and early 2019, with the following details potentially accessed through the incident on March 22nd and 23rd, 2019:
- Names
- Addresses
- Zip codes
- Phone numbers
- E-mail addresses
- Dates of birth
- Income levels
- Credit scores, limits, balances, and payment history
- Limited transaction data from 2016 to 2018
Capital One shared that no bank account numbers or social security numbers were compromised, except for 140,000 social security numbers of current customers and 80,000 linked bank account numbers of secured credit card customers. For Canadian customers, an estimated 1 million social insurance numbers were compromised during the breach. The bank does not feel as though the data was distributed for use or sale after the breach, but only time will tell if personal information of impacted customers has been used elsewhere.
How to Know if You’re an Impacted Customers
Capital One explained in its most recent press release regarding the breach that it would be contacting customers impacted by the incident through various channels, including e-mail and written communication. Customers of the credit card issuer should be on the lookout for these communications, and follow through with the steps provided to help protect their personal information. Capital One did state that it would offer free credit monitoring and identity protection available to those who were included in the breach, but no other immediate information is available as to how or when that may be offered.
Steps You Can Take
If you are concerned about your personal information being stolen or used without your knowledge, whether as a Capital One customers or not, you can take steps to help thwart off identity theft now. Be sure to update passwords on your accounts periodically, and do not store bank account information or credit card details on unsafe websites or in e-mail. You can also sign up for credit monitoring services that help alert you to suspicious activity on your credit reports as soon as it takes place. These small steps can make a big difference in keeping your information safe and your credit in good shape, even when a data breach takes place.